As you embark on your home business, one of the first things you should identify is your financial goals – that is, how much would you like to make? Many people will answer this question with a definitive “as much as possible” while others may be content with making enough to cover certain household expenses such as groceries or to save for vacations or recreational activities. Quantifying your goals in this way is an important step in identifying the best type of business for you. For example, if your goal is to make $20,000 in one year to help offset … Continue reading →

I’ve spent a good portion of the first few weeks of this year working away from my home office. One of my clients has asked me to take a lead role in running a large fundraising event and so I will be spending 20-25 hours each week through the end of March working on-site. I am actually enjoying my time away from home. I don’t think I realized how much I missed having the opportunity to connect with people on a regular basis. At the same time however, I don’t think I will be trading in my home business for … Continue reading →

Many people list procrastination and distractibility as the two biggest obstacles to overcome when working from home. While I agree that these are challenges I face as well – there are some days when even ironing, a task I loathe, is more appealing than working on whatever project I happen to have on my desk – these are not my primary problems. For me, the biggest challenge of running my home business is being able to do it without gaining weight. In the five years that I have been working almost exclusively from home, I have gained at least ten … Continue reading →

A couple of days ago, I shared my New Year’s resolutions for my home business (if you missed it, see the January 1, 2006 entry titled “Resolutions for the New Year”). And while making resolutions – especially when they are designed to break bad habits – is good, it is not the only thing you should do to welcome the new year. As you begin 2006, however, you should also take the time to set goals for the upcoming year. Setting goals will help you to keep your business moving forward. Obviously, the types of goals you set will depend … Continue reading →

Well, here we are, less than 48 hours into the new year and I’ve already got a minor crisis on my hands. Welcome to the world of the home business owner! Tomorrow is supposed to be back-to-school day. However, thanks to this morning’s diagnosis of Strep Throat, my daughter, Jennifer, gets to extend her holiday break by one day. Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be a problem – after all, part of the reason I work at home is so that I don’t have to worry about having to take time off from work when one of the kids are sick – … Continue reading →

Alright, it’s the start of a new year and that can only mean one thing – that’s right, time to make some resolutions. Having a home business isn’t much different from any other part of your personal life – there is always something you will want to improve upon. As I enter the fifth year of my freelance writing business, there are still many things I have yet to accomplish and bad habits I have been unable to break. And so, as we enter 2006, I would like to share my resolutions for the upcoming year. Stop Procrastinating – Like … Continue reading →

Online communities have been around for about as long as the Internet. Ranging in membership from 2 to thousands, there are communities for every interest, hobby, religious affiliation, and ethnic group that you can imagine. While some have open memberships, others require (a usually free) membership while still others are available only to those invited to join. Some are very broad in focus – for instance there are countless groups for writers – while others cater to those with an interest in a specific genre, such as mystery writers. Joining an online group is a wonderful way to network with … Continue reading →

One of the biggest reasons cited by home business owners for leaving the traditional workplace behind to be able to be home with their children. Let’s face it, quality day care – that is, care that is both affordable and safe – is difficult to find. And when you add to that the other costs of going to work such as gas, business attire and lunches, it often seems as though it would make more financial sense to remain at home. And so, you begin your home-business with every intention of having your children right by your side every step … Continue reading →